In a world consumed with technology, both millennials and Generation Z have 0’s and 1’s integrated into them (that’s code for code, people). We all enjoy our phones, but how big of a role should technology play? To see what it was like before we had smartie-phones (pre-2007), we had to do the unthinkable. My partner and I didn’t use our phones for a week. We couldn’t give up all technology because we still had homework on the computer (Oh, how I wish we could have given up Study Stink). We also set up guidelines so we wouldn’t be tempted to bend the rules.

• No Social Media (Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, etc.)
• No YouTube
• Computer solely for homework

Our journal follows. CAUTION: MOOD SWINGS AHEAD.

Crystal

Day 1

I typically check my phone in the morning to send my streaks and check my Instagram. I had to resist picking up my phone and checking my best friends’ stories. But this morning, I actually got out of the house early instead of being late because I wasn’t staring at my phone. Little did I know, that it was about to get much worse. When I get home, I usually do my homework and text my friends. Today, I was bored out of my mind! I eventually got over the boredom but it was brutal! I sat there staring at the wall with absolutely nothing to do. Staring at the wall lead me to life’s most important questions: WHY DID I AGREE TO DO THIS? WHY DID I GIVE UP MY PHONE?!

Day 2

This was just like Day 1, but when I got home, my productivity went wayyyyy downhill. I had a lot to talk about with my friends and I couldn’t text them. So I finished my homework but it ended up taking me a little longer. I usually finish my homework, then go to my phone. But since there was no phone to look forward to, I took a little longer (not that your phone should be your only motivation). Today was also the “#ICANHELP” assembly which showed the negative impact our phones have on our generation. ICANHELP too. Give me back my phone.

Day 3

Now normal, I managed to get out of the house early without my phone. At this point, I’m actually starting to get used to not immediately picking up my phone after school. I wanted to check the weather to see what it was like for tomorrow’s field trip, but I couldn’t. Maybe it will snow and I will freeze to death.  Who knows. I realized that I mostly used my phone for entertainment, but I also use it for important things like staying alive.

Day 4

Today, there was a field trip so we could bring our phones. Because we can totally bring our phones on field trips, TOTALLY. I was sorely tempted to but I didn’t. As the day progressed, I realized how much stress bringing my phone put on me. My phone is precious. I would have been more stressed about losing my phone then missing school. No wait, I actually look forward to those days. But if the past days have taught me anything, it’s that you don’t need your phone to remember all the fun experiences you have, that’s what your memories are for.

Day 5/6

Today there was no school since it was Saturday. So there was nothing to keep me busy for seven hours. Without my phone, I didn’t do my usual procrastinating about weekend homework. I realized that my phone took up all my spare time that used to be spent on hobbies. It had become my hobby. I couldn’t stop thinking about all the conversations I missed and all of my friends’ stories. My friends often joke that I was literally attached to my phone and it’s true. (even though they use their phones more than I do. Have a taste of your own phone medicine, ya liars!)

Day 7

This glorified day, one day from tech restriction! The temptation was SO much worse today than the other days. Looking back on this week, I don’t regret it (surprisingly). It taught me much more than I thought it would. This week was fun while simultaneously frustrating. It showed me how much I use my phone and how unnecessary it was. Sure, I used my phone to contact people for help, but I mostly just wasted my time *cough*, on Emily’s virtual plant *cough*. I missed my phone, but spending time away showed how much I take technology for granted.

Emily

Day 1

This morning wasn’t much different than any other. Although I had an urge to go straight to my social media, it was easy to ignore that feeling. When I came home, I didn’t have much of a problem until I started my homework. Usually, I use my phone to procrastinate and push my homework off to the side (don’t do this at home kids). I thought that not having my phone would increase my productivity level, but it neither decreased or increased.

Day 2

The realization that I didn’t have my phone started to sink in today. When my friend told me about this great song and another friend asked me to send her some pictures, it hit me – I couldn’t do anything with friends without my phone. To add to that, I needed to call someone after school to pick me up, and I had to borrow a phone. It wasn’t that bad, but it got annoying after a few times. Worst of all, I had no music to listen to or anything to entertain myself with (eternal suffering). However, I could feel my productivity level increasing since I had more time to myself.

Day 3

[Cue sad music] Ok, now I see why we love our phones so much. I. Have. Too. Much. Time. Since I had hardly any homework (thank you Mrs. Fong), I ended up extremely bored. This boredom forced me to refocus on some of my neglected hobbies, like drawing and reading. The feeling of being disconnected to the cyberworld is really having an effect on me, since I feel isolated and more bored than ever. Give me back my social life please…

Day 4

Today, I used up my two minutes and also went over a bit. (Crystal don’t hurt me. I had to water my virtual plant.) Instead of feeling excited, I actually realized that social media was unnecessary and I only use it to relieve boredom. In the same moment, I had my sketchbook, and after three days of only drawing to keep me entertained, sketching seemed more tantalizing then scrolling through my feed.

Day 5/6

Today was Saturday. Usually I spend my weekends on my phone and helping around the house. This weekend I couldn’t, so I spent the day reading and drawing again. When I looked at my phone, I still wanted to go on it, but not as much as the beginning of the week. My family went to a boba shop and I noticed that very few people actually talked to each other – they were so absorbed into their phones.

Day 7

And my detox has come to end! By now, I am pretty much used to not having my phone, even though I wished I could use it for a short amount of time. I guess my week wasn’t horrible, but not having my phone did cause some problems, such as not being able to call my mom or quickly look something up online (time to go back to the paper dictionary times, I guess). Our phones don’t need to play that big of a role in our lives, even though it is nice to be able to see what they are doing with a tap of a finger.